Falling With Grace

Page 20



She grabbed a Styrofoam cup, poured hot water into it, nabbed a teabag, and dunked it into the steaming cup. “How about a bit of chamomile?”

I nodded and looked over my shoulder.

Where did Father Franklin go?

The church’s center sat like a vacant cavern inside, except light filtered through the stained glass window depicting a man standing with his hands pressed together in prayer, his robes touching the tops of his feet. Below that was a large cross on an altar with a cloth running the length of the table, the ends draped over with tassels.

A large organ commanded the corner, its pipes reaching for the heavens as if the music would soothe God’s ears.

“Come have a seat.”

She walked away, and I followed her to the first pew at the front of the church. We sat, and she handed me the cup with a protective lid over it.

“Thank you.” My voice faltered, reduced to nothing more than a fragile whisper.

“Are you in trouble?” She glanced down at my feet, and again, I drew them closer, tucking them beneath the pew.

Flutters turned my belly, and the pounding in my chest pushed pressure up my throat and ears.

I was free.

“I…” I took a sip of the tea and hissed.

Fire lit up along my upper lip, and the tip of my tongue scorched. I rolled my lips, transferred the cup to my other hand trapped against my body, and then touched my mouth with the other.

“We’ve been trying to get that temperature just right, but the dial is so finicky. Would you like some ice, dear?”

I shook my head and looked around, her studious stare rippling unease throughout my nerves.

“The hospital released me, but I have nowhere to go.”

Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.”How old are you?”

Sister Tally placed her hands in her lap, interlacing her fingers in a gentle hold.

“I’ll be twenty in a few months.”

“The world is a cruel place to burden you at such a young age.”

Stinging and burning spread across my eyes, and I blinked, working the tears back into hiding.

“We have a room for instances like this. If you’d like a place to lay your head for the night, you’re welcome to it. We even have a few donation boxes you could go through and see if something fits.”

I sat up straight and looked her way. Her kind eyes crinkled at the corners as her smile accentuated the fine lines.

“Thank you. I’d like that.”

“I bet we even have a couple of packages of socks in there for you.” Sister Tally leaned in, her smile never wavering, then stood. “I’ll show you.”

7

Elias

“Mamá.” I rounded the corner to her bedroom, tipped my head inside, and glanced around.

Where the hell did she go?

“Si, mi vida.”


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